What's wrong with my mondeo?

highrisklowreturn

Hi

Got a 2001 mondeo ghia tdci a few months ago with 151k on the clock. I got suckered in and thought it looked great and drove well but I've had no end to problems with it.

First about a month ago the door wouldn't reopen when locked. The car can only be opened via the driver's door, and manually. I ended up having to go in through the boot, which caused the alarm to go off, and the hazards to go nuts. I took the car to a mechanic who as a temporary solution just 'disabled' a wire or connection at the back left of the vehicle in boot, stopping alarm system.

After this however my real problems started. Went to get in car one morning and wouldn't start. Tried to jump her and rolled but couldn't get any life into it. Eventually jumped engine and got it running, to vast plumes of smoke and wheezing of engine. Prior to this car only smoked when accelerating heavy, during which it spewed out like some james bond trick.

Next day I had to jump again, and spoke to another mechanic, who said I'd been bitten on the car, and the injectors were probably well gone, tho I could start it with easy start, or the 'dope' as he called it.

Went and spent £65 for a new battery and got that fitted, but same problems since. Car turns over in morning, splutters, and fades out. Then after a few attempts at turning over, 4-5, like uncle buck, it rumbles into life. Initially the accelerator won't pump fuel, and takes a while to rev, maybe 10 secs. Once car goes, it spews white smoke like a Victorian train for a minute, then runs like a dream, no faults at all, except glow plug light.

I put 2 new glow plugs in - I bought 4, but 2 of the old ones were stuck. The old ones didn't look too bad, but tried this as the cheapo way of trying to fix.

I don't have wads of cash atm and can't afford to be throwing it in for all remedial work, and expect I could easily be stroked by a mechanic, one of whom has said I'm looking at 1200 to replace injectors (money which I don't have).

What I don't get is the car has now 9 months mot - how were these problems not noticeable before, and is the weather affecting it? Could it just be maybe the other 2 glow plugs I didn't get changed, or a wiring issue, or is it defo turbo / injectors?

Iceweasel

Replacing parts willy-nilly isn't going to fix anything.

You need to get on a diagnostics machine and get the fault codes read. Or find a friend with a laptop diagnostic app and an OBD cable.

Replacing more parts at random will just empty your wallet.

You possibly didn't need a new battery or glow plugs.

None of the faults you mention have anything at all to do with an MOT by the way.

highrisklowreturn

But would they not fail it at mot if the glow plug light is on? What about if doors aren't locking?

I'm wondering if the fact that the mechanic just turned alarm off is still running power to alarm over night, leaving battery drained by morning, but why would this cause smoking?

goonarmy

highrisklowreturn wrote: »

But would they not fail it at mot if the glow plug light is on? What about if doors aren't locking?

I'm wondering if the fact that the mechanic just turned alarm off is still running power to alarm over night, leaving battery drained by morning, but why would this cause smoking?

You ned to google whats involved in a MOT.

arcon5

Get a forddiag, inexpensive devices. If you buy some injectors it will allow you to program them as well. They are simple to switch over - unbolt fuel line, use special tool to undo injector and pull out - although some are near impossible to get out. If injector fault, maybe buy some from a breakers yard

mrmot

Glow plug light isn't testable, front doors need to be able to opened from the inside and outside, rear doors from the outside only, boot and bonnet should be able to be opened to check testable items, it's not a fail if they can't, but it is a reason to refuse or abandon the test. All doors, boot & bonnet must close securely. Door locking is not part of the test.

The only MOT concern is the smoke, but as it passed it must have been within limits at the time of test.

scaredofdebt

Sounds like injectors to me, I had a similar problem with my Mondeo, 2.0 TDCi Ghia, on an '04 plate.

You need to have diagnostic test - cost around £60 when I had that done last year and I ended up replacing 2 injectors for around £500, it was then fine for another 30k miles or so until the fuel pump went and I scrapped it.

Car wouldn't start when cold, unless I jumped it or used Easy Start, neither of which is recommended. The glow plug light would also flash. If I drove the car gently it drove OK and if the problem started I could switch it off and on again and drive OK. Main problem was going uphill in 6th, it didn't like that.

Mine had done 170k before the problems started and I scrapped it on ~210k so I got reasonable value for money out of it during its life.

forgotmyname

The flashing glowplug light does not mean the glowplugs are faulty.

It means you have a fuelling or boost pressure fault.

You need the fault codes reading... Because its an early model cheapo handheld readers wont work.

If you have a laptop you can get an F-Super under £15 or a ForDiag from a guy called Tomas? £80 .. There are cheap fordiags but they wont work.

bigjl

I would be going back to basics before jumping in to far.

Smokey TDCi Mondeos can sometimes be nothing more than a dirty air filter.

Also the egr valve being clogged up can cause excessive smoke.

My old mk3 drive much better after an egr clean out

I don't mean a spray down a pipe either.

Get the valve on pipework off and clean it.

TalkFord has some good info relating to the Mondeo.

Try other mondeo owners forums aswell.

As already mentioned you need to get proper fault code diagnosis done.

Far too many mechanics are too quick to jumo in the "its the injectors mate" diagnosis

Could also be the sensor in the intake pipework a few inches from the air filter, i think it is the MAF sensor, basically works by heating up some wire and measures air flow.

They get dirty and the engine runs rough and smokes more.

Fuel filter, air filter and clean the egr and MAF is a good cheap starting point.

Likely less than £30 all in if you do it yourself.

Again online owner forums are a mass of good info.

That is where i learned about my Mondeo.

And with a few bits of fettling it remained a reliable car.

One of the most reliable i have owned.

Still running fine when i last seen it just over a year ago.

highrisklowreturn

Ok, but what about the not starting aspect? Would this be injector or faulty electronics, and is it linked to the flashing glow plug diag. symbol or is this solely to do with smoke?

forgotmyname

FAULT CODES!!!! There will be the answer... Or where to start looking to get the answer.